Akkanna Madanna Caves, Vijayawada – The Cave Temples

Akkanna Madanna Caves, Vijayawada – The Cave Temples

The Akkanna Madanna Caves consist of two cave complexes namely the upper (larger) cave and the lower cave. The caves are located at the foothills of the Indrakeelaadri hills.

Upper Cave Temple:

The upper cave is excavated on a vertically rising rocky cliff and is facing towards east. The cave temple consists of three shrines, a pillared mandapa and façade. The façade can be accessed through flight of six steps. The steps are flanked by elephant headed balustrades. The façade is supported by a row of six square pillars and two pilasters. The top portion of the pillars are gone.

The mandapa after the façade is supported by two rows of six pillars and two pilasters each. These pillars are octagonal in shape and simple in design. The three shrines are carved on the back wall and each shrine is provided with steps for reaching it. The central shrine is larger than the two side shrines. The central shrines enshrines a Shiva Linga excavated from the mother rock.

But the Linga was vandalized and now replaced with another Shiva Linga. The side shrines has pedestal in its sanctum. The idols of Brahma and Vishnu once stood over the pedestal are missing now. There is a platform in front of the sanctum might have housed a Nandi. But the Nandi is missing currently. There are niche shrines with steps in the lateral walls of the mandapa on the northern and southern side.

One of the niche shrine houses an image of Ganesha. The caves are devoid of any sculptures or ornamentation on the pillars and walls except the niche shrines. The upper cave has an inscription on the free-standing pillar to the south. It contains the phrase Sri Utpati Pidugu. The inscription is paleographically more archaic than the other nearby caves in Moghalrajpuram, Undavalli, Bhokardan and Satyavolu.

Lower Cave Temple:

The lower cave was excavated on the same rocky cliff and is facing towards east. The cave temple consists of three shrines, a pillared mandapa and façade. The northern shrine is least preserved and the southern most shrine is the most preserved. All the shrines have flight of steps to reach the mandapa. The mandapa is supported by two rows of two pillars followed by the sanctum in the back wall of the cave.

All the shrines are guarded by dvarapalas but have been vandalized badly during the Islamic onslaught. All the shrines are dedicated to different forms of Lord Shiva. All the shrines enshrines a Shiva Linga in it. The southern lateral wall of the mandapa has a niche enshrining an image of four armed Valampuri Vinayaga. The lower caves are decorated with makara torana and other artwork.

Park:

There is a small to the north side of the lower caves. This park contains inscribed pillars, a restored inscribed granite mandapa and architectural fragments recovered from the nearby damaged temples. There is a unique Kiratarjuna pillar with artwork and inscription visible on all four sides. This pillar was on the hill close to the Kanaka Durga temple. It was moved here after 1950 for better preservation and the convenience of the visitors. The inscription on this pillar is dated to 9^th century CE. It along with the panels recite the Hindu legend about Arjuna's yogic effort to gain the Pasupatha weapon from Shiva.